Montana Land Reliance

Stewardship and monitoring: mlr stewardship staff monitor each property on which mlr holds a conservation easement. Stewardship/monitoring activities carried out by staff involves visiting or viewing aerial photos of each easement property on an annual basis to ensure that the terms of the conservation easements are being upheld. The stewardship staff also works with existing easement holders to supply natural resource information for the landowner to improve their land holdings for conservation purposes. Stewardship staff works with legal counsel in regard to any potential issues that arise regarding interpretation or enforcement of conservation easements held by mlr. In 2024, mlr granted $247,973 to the montana land reliance foundation inc., to be invested into the land protection fund to cover stewardship and monitoring expenditures.

Education and outreach activities: mlr staff travel across the state of montana conducting meetings with potential clients, county planning boards, county commissioners, various agricultural groups/organizations, and other community groups to provide answers to their questions and to conduct general educational activities focused on the benefits of land conservation and conservation easements. For these outreach activities, mlr publishes various educational brochures and an annual report to provide information and enhance the transparency of its public interest activities. Additionally, staff participate with numerous conservation groups to educate the public about the land trust community's conservation efforts. In 2024, mlr granted $26,250 to the ruby habitat foundation for outreach use, and 456,834 to the montana association of land trusts and its fiscal sponsor heart of the rockies initiative for strategic collaboration of montana land trusts and community engagement to preserve and protect natural, economic, and agricultural heritage for future generations.